Operating mechanism for clamshelltype safety razor

ABSTRACT

A SAFETY RAZOR OF THE CLAMSHELL VARIETY IS PROVIDED WITH A BRIDGE SUPPORTING MEMBER INCORPORATING AN AXIAL BORE FOR SPIDER TRANSLATION, THE SUPPORT MEMBER DEFINING A VERTICAL GUIDE MEANS THROUGH WHICH A THREADED STEM PORTION OF THE SPIDER EXTENDS, A CAP ACTUATING CONTROL KNOB HAVING INTERIOR THREADES IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SPIDER STEM THREADS BEING RESTRAINED AXIALLY BETWEEN THE BRIDGE SUPPORT MEMBER AND A PLASTIC HANDLE, ROTATION OF THE CAP ACTUATING KNOB CAUSING TRANSLATION OF THE SPIDER TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE CAP MEMBERS. THE RAZOR FURTHER EMBODIES A NOVEL MEANS FOR SECURING TO THE SPIDER THE CROSS ARMS CONNECTED TO OPERATE THE CAP MEMBERS.

' PFA. BRAGINETZ v OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CLAMSHELL-TYPE SAFETY RAZOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan..' l .4; 1969 -wm 4 v v v W Jan. 26, 197% P. A. BRAGIN E'TZ 35,557,450

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CLAMSHELL-TYPE SAFETY RAZOR Filed Jan. 14,- 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet l United States Patent O M 3,557,450 OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CLAMSHELL- TYPE SAFETY RAZOR Paul A. Braginetz, Augusta County, Va., assignor to Philip Morris Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Virginia Filed Jan. 14, 1969, Ser. No. 791,008 Int. Cl. B2611 21/30 U.S. Cl. 30-60.5 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety razor of the clamshell variety is provided with a bridge supporting member incoroprating an axial bore for spider translation, the support member defining a vertical guide means through which a threaded stem portion of the spider extends, a cap actuating control knob having interior threads in engagement with the spider stem threads being restrained axially between the bridge support member and a plastic handle, rotation of the cap actuating knob causing translation of the spider to open and close the cap members. The razor further embodies a novel means for securing to the spider the cross arms connected to operate the cap members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to safety razors and more particularly to an improved safety razor of the clamshell type.

In clamshell safety razors a thin flexible blade is supported on a bridge member and is flexed thereagainst at a suitable shaving angle by closure of overlying cap members. Actuation of the cap members to open and closed positions is effected by a spider mounted for vertical translation relative to the bridge, the cap members being pivotally supported by cross arms aflixed to the spider.

In typical clamshell razors of the prior art, an axial bore extends substantially throughout the length of the handle and the cap actuating knob is disposed at the base of the handle. A spider is insertable through the bridge into the handle axial bore and is provided with a threaded portion adapted to be engaged by the internal threads of the cap actuating knob. The knob is generally located at the base of the handle and thus special provision must be made for maintaining the knob axially fixed relative to the handle lest the knob become disengaged from the handle. The extent of such provisions and the inherently high manufacturing and tooling costs involved will be seen in the razor constructions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,956,175, 2,848,807, 3,038,254 and 3,377,701.

Prior attempts to avoid these problems by positioning the cap actuating knob intermediate the bridge and handle base, such as are typified by the clamshell razor design set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,314, have resulted in cap actuating structure of even greater complexity. In this prior design, the cap actuating knob is retained between an upper metallic handle section and a lower plastic handle section, with a spider comprised of a plurality of interfitting elements retained in the upper handle section and operated upon rotation of the cap actuating knob. All of the interfitting elements are metallic and require extensive tooling in manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention the costly manufacturing techniques related to the retention of the cap actuating knob in a razor of the clamshell type are eliminated by a 3,557,450 Patented Jan. 26, 1971 simplified design involving a limited number of cooperating elements.

In accordance with the present invention the bridge member of the razor is connected to a support member provided with an axial bore in which a spider of unitary construction is translatable. A side wall of the support member includes a vertical guide means communicating with the axial bore, a threaded stem portion of the spider projecting outwardly of said guide means. A cap actuating control knob is threaded into engagement with the spider threaded stem portion circumferentially of the bridge support member, said member being thereafter secured to a plastic handle.

In the razor of the invention a simplified assembly procedure is enabled in which costly metal forming of a spider having interfitting elements is avoided along with the complexities of assembling such elements. Such advantages are employed without sacrificing performance requirements and razor head geometry, since the assembly is compatible with and retains the bridge, cap and spider elements required in clamshell-type razors.

It is a primary object of the present invention to simplify clamshell-type safety razor construction.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved operating mechanism for a clamshelltype safety razor.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of joinder of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a safety razor constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, broken away in part to show detail;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the razor of FIG. I viewed from the right side in FIG. 1, broken away in part to show detail;

.FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the razor of FIG. 1, with one of the cap members omitted to show detail;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view as taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1 but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a partial front elevation of the spider of the razor of FIG. 1 illustrating its assembly with the cross arms in dotted line showing prior to assembly;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the completed assembly of spider and cross arm; and

FIG. 7 is a partial front elevational view partly in section illustrating the razor of the invention with the cap members thereof in the open position.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a preferred form of the razor of the invention comprises a head portion 10, a handle 12 and an intermediate element 14 interconnecting the head and handle. A cap actuating knob 16 is disposed circumferentially about element 14. A spider 18 is disposed centrally in the razor and is vertically translatable upon actuation of knob 16. Handle 12 may be comprised of molded plastic and is equipped with longitudinal ribs 20 to facilitate gripping thereof during shaving. Knob 16 is likewise equipped With ribs 22 for non-slip operation thereof.

Head portion 10 includes a bridge 24 having a blade seat 26, a mounting flange 28 and guards 30 (FIG. 3). Mounting flange 28 is equipped with a locating aperture 3 32 and a staking aperture 34. The razor head portion further includes cap members 36 which are pivotally supported on pins 38 of cross arms 40. As will be explained hereinafter the arms are joined centrally to spider 18.

Intermediate element 14 constitutes a bridge supporting member and includes a neck portion 42, a centerbody portion 44 and a lower portion 46. An axial bore 48 extends interior of upwardly extending flanges 50 and 52 throughout the neck 42 and centerbody 44. Exterior of flanges 50 and 52 the intermediate element defines internal recesses 54 and 56. Arcuate staking projections 58 and 60 (FIGS. 2 and 7) are provided at the uppermost portion of neck 42 and a locating pin 62 is disposed adjacently at the top of flange 50. Centerbody 44 of the intermediate element is of cylindrical cross-section and of reduced diameter from that of neck 42. The centerbody wall is cut away over a vertical length thereof to define opposed longitudinal guide slots 64 communicating with axial bore 48. Lower portion 46 of bridge support member 14 includes a first slightly enlarged cylindrical guide portion 66 and a second guide portion 68 connected by post 70. Handle 12 includes an axial passage 72 which has a first annularly enlarged portion 74 adapted to seat guide 66 and a second portion 75 adapted to seat guide 68.

Spider 18 comprises a main cross bar 76 terminating laterally in depending vertical arm portions 78. Arms 78 are themselves integral with outwardly projecting parts 80. As is best seen in FIG. 5, the parts 80 include a reduced neck portion 82 and an enlarged terminal segment having upwardly and downwardly projecting lugs 84 adapted to cooperate with corresponding capture elements 86 of cross arms 40. The assembly of spider parts 80 and cross arms 40 is illustrated in FIGS. and 6 wherein the spider terminal lugs 84 and arm inner walls 88 are juxtaposed and the arm capture flange elements 86 are then staked over the lugs 84, the corners 90 of flange elements 86 being bent down against the respective sides of the projecting part 80 and lugs 84 seating within apertures 92 of the arms.

Spider 18 further comprises a stem 94 extending downwardly from the center of cross bar 76, the stem having a reduced upper section 96 terminating in shoulder 98 and a lower portion 100 which is equipped with projecting threads 102. The spider is of rectangular cross section with threads 102 projecting from opposite sides thereof (FIG. 4).

All of the constituent elements of the razor, with the exception of handle 12, are preferably constructed of a metal such as brass. The handle is preferably molded from high impact polystyrene or like plastic material. The assembly of the elements of the razor is begun by the joinder of bridge 24 and its support 14. To this effect locating pin 62 and arcuate staking projections 58 and 60 of the support member are aligned with bridge apertures 32 and 34 respectively. The elements are then pressfit together, and the upper edges of projections 58 and 60 turned down onto the top surface of flange 28 retaining the parts in a subassembly.

The next subassembly is comprised of spider 18 and cross arms 40 (as assembled above) with cap members 36. In this assembly pins 38 of cross arms 40 are inserted into cap apertures 104.

The cap member and spider subassembly are inserted in the bridge subassembly by inserting the spider stem 94, lower portion 100 leading, into axial bore 48. As is best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3 bridge 24 is equipped with a spider receiving aperture 106 contiguous with and communicating with the staking aperture 34, providing in combination therewith an opening of suflicient expanse laterally to accommodate insertion of the lower portion 100 of the spider. At this point spider vertical arms 78 are disposed within internal recesses 54 and 56 of member 14. Upon this assembly the threads 102 of spider 4 stem 94 project outwardly through slots 64 of centerbody 44.

Cap actuating knob 16 is next passed over guides 66 and 68 and over the periphery of centerbody 44 until it is in threaded engagement with threads 102 of stem 94. The nut is then fully threaded onto the subassembly. Thereafter, guides 66 and 68 are aligned with corresponding openings 74 and of handle axial passage 72 and the handle is urged into the mated position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. To permanently secure the assembly the handle is joined to guides 66 and 68.

In operation of the razor, rotation of knob 16 in engagement with threads 102 causes the spider to be elevated until shoulder 98 of spider stem 94 abuts against the undersurface of bridge 24. As in the typical clamshell safety razor, elevation of the spider is effective to open the cap members 36 sufiiciently that a blade may be inserted. Reverse turning of the knob 16 causes the cap members to close thereby flexing the blade and clamping it in place such that the cutting edges thereof are positioned at an appropriate angle for shaving.

It will be seen that the razor construction of the present invention provides, by a limited number of constituents of simplified structure, that the cap actuating knob of a clamshell-type razor may be restrained against axial movement without specialized tooling techniques. In the illustrated embodiment, knob 16 is restrained against such movement by its containment between neck portion 42 of bridge support member 14 and handle 12. Similarly, spider 18 of the razor may be fabricated as a unitary element without the requirement for interfitting threaded inserts such as are found in the prior art.

The foregoing construction of a preferred embodiment of the invention is to be interpreted in an illustrative and not a limiting sense. The spirit and scope of the invention is set forth in the appended claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A safety razor of the clamshell type comprising (a) a bridge having a blade seat,

(b) a bridge support member connected thereto defining an axial bore and further defining a pair of opposed longitudinal guide means in communication with said bore,

(c) a pair of caps pivotally supported for actuation into open and closed positions with respect to said blade seat,

((1) a spider having operative connections to said caps for effecting said actuation and having a stem movable along said guide means with opposed threaded portions extending outwardly at each of said guide means,

(e) a cap actuating knob circumferentially disposed on said bridge member having internal threads in engagement with said stem threaded portions, whereby rotation of said knob effects translation of said spindle stern, and

(f)b a handle connected to said bridge support mem- 2. The razor of claim 1 wherein said guide means comprises opposed longitudinal slots and said stem has portions extending radially outwardly therethrough with the threads exposed beyond said slots for engagement with the internal threads of said knob.

3. The razor of claim 1 wherein said bridge support member includes an upper portion adapted to provide sa d connection to said bridge, a centerbody portion containing said guide means, and a lower portion adapted to provide said connection to said handle.

4. The razor of claim 3 wherein said bridge support member centerbody is cylindrical and of smaller crosssection than said upper portion and said handle is of larger cross-section than said centerbody at its point of connection to said lower portion, said knob being restrained by said bridge support member upper portion and said handle from axial movement relative to said bridge support member centerbody.

1 5. The razor of claim 3 wherein said bridge support member upper portion includes locating and staking projections adapted to engage corresponding apertures in said bridge to provide said connection of said bridge support member and said bridge.

6. The razor of claim 5 wherein said staking projection comprises opposed arcuate members defining an aperture therebetween, said aperture communicating with said bridge support member axial bore.

7. The razor of claim 1 wherein said spider stem is provided with a stop member abuttable with said bridge for limiting upward movement of said stem and thereby the degree of opening of said caps.

8. In a spider assembly for a safety razor of the clamshell type having a pair of caps and a main cross bar with a depending portion at each end and a cross arm secured to each said portion the securing means comprising an outwardly projecting part at the lower end of said portion with a reduced neck area and outer upwardly and downwardly projecting lugs, and said arm having up- 6 per and lower projecting flange portions each with a hole therein the flange portions being folded over to encompass the outwardly projecting part with each hole being engaged over the corresponding lug.

9. The spider assembly of claim 8 in which the corners of each of said flange portions are further folded down against the respective sides of said outwardly projecting part of the main cross bar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,050,852 8/1962 Nissen 60.5 3,376,637 4/1968 Bombero 30--60.5 3,377,701 4/1968 More 30-60.5 3,466,746 9/ 1969 Dawidowicz 30-60.5

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner G. F. GRAFEL, Assistant Examiner 

